2014 Urban Life Staff Picks

Born in late 2013, Santos the baby ocelot
is the newest, most adorable addition to the Cincinnati Zoo. He’s
pounced into the hearts of the international media through the zoo’s
Twitter and Facebook posts showing videos and photos of him playing with
Blakely, a doggie that lives in the nursery — Santos even made it to E!
online and the Daily Mail U.K.’s sites. If Gladys the gorilla
somehow wasn’t cute enough to lure you to the zoo (what’s wrong with
you?), then Santos should be enough of a reason to visit the second
oldest zoo in America this spring. Cincinnati Zoo, 3400 Vine St.,
Avondale, 513-281-4700, cincinnatizoo.org.

BEST LOCAL SIGHTS BLOG

Queen City Discovery lets anyone venture
through old and new Cincinnati via well-written articles and equally
well-shot pictures of the city. Started in 2007 by photographer Ronny
Salerno (who was joined by photographer Cameron Knight in 2013), one of
the blog’s focuses is on “urban exploration,” which takes readers
through old, abandoned parts of the Cincinnati area — like Surf
Cincinnati and Seymour Plaza in Roselawn — to provide a look into the
city that was. queencitydiscovery.blogspot.com.

BEST REASON TO RUN THROUGH A GRAVEYARD ON HALLOWEEN

Being chased by ghosts would be a valid
reason, but so is Run Like Hell — a 5k where locals dress up in costumes
and race for charity. All the money raised from the race, which travels
from Woodburn Avenue through the Walnut Hills German cemetery, goes to
cystic fibrosis research. Whether someone wants to be creepy and dress
up like an axe murderer alone or go to the event as a group of zombies,
anyone is welcome to eat, drink and run like hell. cincyrunlikehell.com.

BEST CELEBRITY REPPING THE REGION SINCE GEORGE CLOONEY

Mostly known for his role as Peeta Mellark in The Hunger Games,
actor and Union, Ky.-native Josh Hutcherson is proving to the world
that the Tristate wasn’t just a one-hit celebrity-making wonder when we
produced George Clooney … or Sarah Jessica Parker … or Nick Lachey … or
Doris Day … or Carmen Electra. Ok. So we’ve made a few. But none as
adorable as the down-to-earth Hutcherson, who frequently pops back into
town for visits. Anyone else catch him at the Cyclone’s Josh Hutcherson
bobblehead night?

BEST ONE-STOP SHOP FOR CONCERT TOUR VISUALS

The successful local video house
Lightborne has done lots of big time work in commercials and music
videos, but lately the company has become a beacon for artists looking
to implement large-scale visual flair during their concert tours and TV
appearances — aka all the digital animation/live action graphics moving
around on a giant screen behind a musician while they perform.
Lightborne has created stunning video backdrops for many big names,
including Usher, One Direction, Jay-Z, Katy Perry and Taylor Swift.
Lightborne, 212 E. 14th St., Over-the-Rhine, 513-721-2272,
light-borne.com.

Photo: Marci Rhodes

BEST SPOKESPIGEON FOR CINCINNATI

Martha, the last passenger pigeon, died
at the Cincinnati Zoo in 1914. Immediately following her death, she was
packed in a 300-pound block of ice at the Cincinnati Ice Company and
shipped to the Smithsonian in Washington D.C., where she was
photographed, stuffed and displayed in the museum’s Birds of the World
exhibit until 1999. She’s currently kept in the museum’s collection but
is not on view. However, you can view images of her locally at the zoo’s
Martha/passenger pigeon memorial (by the Night Hunters exhibit) or on
the side of the building on Eighth Street (15 E. Eighth St., Downtown).
Last summer, as the centennial of her death approached, wildlife artist
John Ruthven and ArtWorks reproduced his “Martha, the Last Passenger
Pigeon” painting as a wall mural. Cincinnati Zoo, 3400 Vine St.,
Avondale, 513-281-4700, cincinnatizoo.org.

BEST SAD MOMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT IN CLIFTON

Progress sometimes demands sacrifice, but
that doesn’t make the loss of Lenhardt’s and Christy’s, both housed
inside a piece of Cincinnati’s brewing history (the Goetz house was the
single-family home of John Goetz, Jr. and his wife Lizzie, one of the
daughter’s of Christian Moerlein) any less sad. Developers said the
demolition was necessary to build a mixed-use development that will
include student apartments, some retail space and parking. The
neighborhood association CUF and the Historic Conservation Board both
wanted to prevent the destruction of the mansion by getting it historic
landmark status, but the family who owned the building wanted to sell
and their choice was supported by the Cincinnati Planning Commission.
Christy’s and Lenhardt’s, formerly at 151 W. McMillan Ave., University
Heights.

BEST CELEBRATION OF BEER AND OTR AND SPRING AND GOATS

Bockfest signals the coming of spring,
celebrates Over-the-Rhine and serves up beer from area breweries to
thousands of eager locals during the first full weekend of March. This
past 22nd annual event kicked off like the rest: with a parade beginning
at Arnold’s Bar & Grill, the city’s oldest bar, and continuing to
Bockfest Hall, where beer, food and live entertainment awaited the
masses. Where else can you see a parade of goats, witness old people and
yuppies discover OTR and meet a dignitary known as the Sausage Queen?
Next year’s fest kicks off March 6, 2015. Bockfest, 513-604-9812,
bockfest.com.

BEST LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP WITH GRAFFITI

Covington, Ky., seems to have a mixed
relationship with graffiti. After the city’s Cork ’N Bottle apologized
for scrubbing a mural made by renowned British street art group The
London Police, Covington officials, in conjunction with Vision 2015 and
ArtWorks, dedicated a space near a floodwall by the Licking River for
community use. That gives artists some space to freely tag at their
pleasure, which Covington officials hope will deter graffiti in other
locations in the future.

BEST GUIDE TO LOCAL CULTURE

The Cincinnati DIY Calendar, compiled by
Robert Inhuman from Soapbox Books & Zines, is a fantastic guide to
finding do-it-yourself events, arts, music, social activism, farmers
markets and more in Cincinnati. All-ages, independently organized and
free events take precedence over those at traditional venues. The
calendar, which is designed by a different artist each month, often pops
up in hipster hubs like Northside, but it’s a great tool for anyone who
wants to know what’s going on in the Queen City. SoapBox Books &
Zines, 1415 Knowlton St., Northside, soapboxbooks.org.

BEST COMMUNITY GARDEN

Bellevue, Ky., has an amazing community
garden, featuring the extra bonus of a program that educates children on
where food comes from.

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Started in 2011 and located at the end of
“Blossom Alley” between the 400 blocks of Foote and Ward avenues, the
garden allows people of all ages to share in the calming joys of
harvesting and growing food. bna-ky.com.

BEST 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF A MOVIE FILMED HERE

Our city doesn’t appear on the big screen often, but as one of the few examples of Cincinnati on film, the now-20-year-old Airborne
does a somewhat OK job of capturing the spirit of the city during the
early 1990s. The story follows a surfy California teenager who
unwillingly moves in with his aunt and uncle and cousin Wiley (played by
Seth Green) in snowy Cincinnati. Pretty soon, he finds himself in a
ridiculous love story that involves hockey rivalries (featuring Jack
Black), awesome Baja sweatshirts, costume montages, friendship and
Rollerblading around some of the city’s famous hills. The movie gained
such a local cult following that some Airborne aficionados set up a screening and ’90s-style party to celebrate the film’s birthday last year. Event organizers insisted to CityBeat that their love of the movie is not purposely ironic. And all other Cincinnatians agree, because that movie is awesome.

Photo: Jesse Fox

BEST REASON TO TACKLE TRAFFIC IN CLIFTON

With the redevelopment between Calhoun
and W. McMillian streets near the University of Cincinnati — also known
as U-Square — students now have a nearby spot to eat, drink, study and
think about their futures (or weekend plans, more likely). Of course,
it’s also a great place for anyone else to just fill an empty stomach
and have fun. A ton of new restaurants have popped in the mixed-use
development, from the Waffle House to the Keystone Bar & Grill and
the Brass Tap, plus yoga studios, waxing salons, a bigger Starbucks,
every single sub shop in the world and more. But UC students must be
particularly happy with the great location; makes finding something
other than Indian food in Clifton a bit easier. usquareattheloop.com.

BEST CINCINNATI CHILI LOVERS’ CALL TO ARMS

Nothing rallies Cincinnatians like
someone hating on our chili, as Deadspin learned all too well when it
ran a story calling Cincinnati chili “a horrifying diarrhea sludge …
that Ohioans slop across plain spaghetti noodles and hot dogs as a way
to make the rest of us feel grateful that our own shit-eating is
(mostly) figurative.” The insult to Cincinnati’s most important heritage
even got Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld, a Skyline Chili fanboy, involved
before everyone realized no one reads Deadspin for food reviews, anyway.

BEST NEW FEATURE IN A PUBLIC PARK

The Rosenberg Swings at Smale Riverfront
Park have a great view of and across the river, making it one of the
best places to relax when it’s not so cold out. The location is also
near all the awesome nightlife and food at The Banks and Newport on the
Levee (if you cross the Purple People Bridge), which lets visitors grab a
bite to eat before or after spending a little time swinging by the
riverside. Smale Riverfront Park, W. Mehring Way, Downtown,
513-357-2621, mysmaleriverfrontpark.org.

BEST ART EXHIBIT IN THE STREETS

When French street artist JR came to the
Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) for his first solo U.S. exhibition in
September 2013, it was only fitting that his work not be confined to the
inside of a museum. Known internationally for his giant
photographic-portrait posters that pop up in unusual public places, JR
took his art to where it belongs — the streets. In addition to wrapping
the outside of the CAC with posters of faces, he also travelled in his
photo van to sites around the Tristate where he took free portraits and
printed them on 36-by-53-inch posters for folks to create their own
street art. The exhibit, Inside Out, closed in February, but
traces of his work remain throughout the city. Contemporary Arts Center,
44 E. Sixth St., Downtown, 513-345-8400, contemporaryartscenter.org.

BEST PLACE TO PUT ON A SHOW IN OUR OWN VERSION OF CENTRAL PARK

Washington Park provides great acoustics
from the bandstand and a wonderfully diverse crowd of people. The park
has hosted concerts, Shakespeare plays and movie nights, among other
events. Following LumenoCity, a visual and musical architectural mapping
experience featuring live music by the Cincinnati Symphony
Orchestra, there really should be no question that Washington Park — and
Over-the-Rhine as a whole — have seen a spectacular renaissance.
Washington Park, 1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, washingtonpark.org.

BEST CAKE IN A CEMETERY

We’re all going to die. That’s a reality.
But sitting around talking about it makes you seem a bit morbid. Unless
you’re at a “Death Café,” a new, international movement meant to bring
awareness to the subject and create a dialogue via pop-up parties in
cemeteries and the like. The local Arlington Memorial Gardens hosts a
monthly Death Café meeting where individuals can come, eat cake, drink
tea and talk about death in a safe environment. Arlington Memorial
Gardens, 2145 Compton Road, Finneytown, amgardens.org, deathcafe.com.

BEST CAMP FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Stepping Stones provides a normal summer
camp environment for children, teenagers and adults with disabilities.
The camp has more than 100 staffers, 600 volunteers and on-site nurses
to ensure a fun, safe experience for kids and offer families a respite
from constant care over the summer. Staff members are extensively
screened and trained to handle any special need, with the goal of
helping establish a path toward independence. Stepping Stones, 5650
Given Road, Norwood, 513-831-4660, steppingstonesohio.org.

Photo: Cincinnati Preservation Association

BEST ARCHITECTURAL SAVE

Local preservationists have some
victories to be proud of, including the recent restoration of the 1938
International Style Rauh House. The property gained some traction in
local media after the nationally recognized building opened up to
visitors for the first time since it was abandoned in 2005 during a last
year’s Cincinnati Preservation Association tour. Although the house
looks just like it did more than seven decades ago, it’s now outfitted
with modern technology to pay respect to a truly beautiful location. The
Rauh House, 10068 Leacrest Road, Woodlawn, cincinnatipreservation.org.

BEST ARTISTIC STREET REVIVAL

Artbeat on Short Vine is a cooperative
monthly culture walk and event that takes people through the art scene
in Corryville. Organizers hope to encourage visitors to “gather,
experience art, socialize, eat and shop,” align the artistic community
with local businesses, and just generally show off the revitalization
going on in the neighborhood. Wander into exhibit openings, bars with
drink specials or stores offering discounts.
facebook.com/artbeatonshortvine.

BEST (AND ONLY) BIERGARTEN AT FINDLAY MARKET

Quench your thirst with locally brewed
beer while buying groceries and fresh produce from your favorite market
vendors at the OTR Biergarten at Findlay Market. After you’ve shopped
for your groceries at the market, store them in the refrigerated Veggie
Valet while taking a break to eat lunch and sip on a cold one. The
atmosphere is perfect to walk around, enjoy the fresh air and support
Cincinnati brewers and vendors. Live music performances every Sunday.
Findlay Market, 1801 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, 513-604-9812,
facebook.com/otrbiergarten.

BEST PLACE TO NOT BLINK, DON’T EVEN BLINK

Formed by the Cincinnati Horticultural
Association in 1844 and inspired by magnificent urban cemeteries like
Père Lachaise in Paris, Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum is the
final resting place of notable Cincinnatians and features remarkable
Gothic Revival architecture. Memorable tombstones include a collection
of weeping angels — enough to strike fear into the heart of any Doctor Who
fan. There’s a collection of angel statues throughout the grounds that
appear to be crying, as a result of wear-and-tear from years of outdoor
exposure. But they also look remarkably similar to the BBC’s time
traveling hero’s enemies, The Weeping Angels — the ones who displace
strangers, enemies and beloved companions in time. A must-see for any
Whovian — just don’t blink. Spring Grove Cemetery, 4521 Spring Grove
Ave., Northside, springgrove.org.

BEST LAME CAMPAIGN

Despite good intentions, sometimes
Cincinnati promoters clearly have no idea what is going on. Case in
point: Last year, the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber released a “hip”
ad for “Cincinnati USA” that featured some annoying guy in capri pants
walking around claiming that in Cincinnati “we do what we love.” No one
had any idea what the hell this dude was going on about — do people in
other cities actively seek out things they hate? — and the video caught
social media fire for the ridiculous representation of Cincinnati as a
city of obnoxious hipsters. cincinnatichamber.com.

BEST LOCATION TO FILM A 1950s LESBIAN DRAMA

Cincinnati. Duh. Director Todd Haynes
brought a stellar line-up of leading ladies — Oscar-winner Cate
Blanchett, Rooney Mara and Sarah Paulson — to the Queen City to film his
latest, Carol. In the film, based on a Patricia Highsmith
novel, a young department store clerk (Mara) falls for a married older
woman (Blanchett). Although it will be represented on film as New York
and parts of New Jersey, filming will take place entirely in Cincinnati
during a seven-week span that started March 12. This will be the first
film shot entirely in the region under Ohio’s new motion picture tax
incentive, which seems to be working.

BEST WAY TO TRANSFORM OFTEN-OVERLOOKED STRUCTURES INTO ART

In September of last year, after a ban on
advertising on public right-of-ways, advertisements were removed from
bus shelters across the city and replaced by literary posters for the
Metro Art Shelters project. ArtWorks, the Southwest Ohio Regional
Transit Authority, the Main Library and Downtown Cincinnati Inc., banded
together to transform 24 shelters into works of art based on graphics
created by ArtWorks apprentices and inspired by classic works of
literature. Take a stroll through downtown and see innovative posters
representing Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Scarlet Letter, The Grapes of Wrath, Moby Dick and more. ArtWorks, 20 E. Central Parkway, 513-333-0388, artworkscincinnati.org.

BEST WAY TO KICK YOUR ANTISOCIAL WEEKEND RUT

We’ve all been there: It’s late on a
Friday night, dining options are sparse and the only human interaction
you’re interested in is with the pizza guy, then it’s back to
wine-fueled online shopping. You need help, and Night Owl Market is here
to rescue you. This late-night pop-up party features food trucks and
booths, artisan vendors and, often, live music. It’s the perfect way to
shake the homebody routine and a great alternative to fried pub grub and
a tightly packed bar crowd. Night Owl Market, launched in July 2012,
sets up at the corner of Main Street and Central Parkway in
Over-the-Rhine on Final Fridays and Saturdays (except during cold
months) and at various other area events. Night Owl Market, 1107 Main
St., Over-the-Rhine, cincynom.com.

BEST LITTLE BOOZE TOUR

With Cincinnati’s brewery renaissance in
full swing, there’s a new public interest in the city’s booze-drenched
history. There are a variety of nostalgic tours focusing on the city’s
past, but Tonic Tours highlights local microbreweries and cocktail
purveyors that are active today. The tours are intimate — perfect for
those who like to ask questions — and feature wine and beer tastings.
tonictours.com.

BEST PLACE TO LEARN ART FOR REALS

The Art Academy of Cincinnati, a private
college of art and design, is one of the best schools in Cincinnati,
making artists since 1869 and featuring intelligent teachers who are
amazing, experienced artists in their own right. Notable alumni and
faculty include Frank Duveneck, Charley and Edie Harper, Elizabeth
Nourse, Tom Wesselmann and more. Students often report coming out of the
school with a feeling of inspiration and a thorough understanding of
what they’ll need to hopefully make a big break. Plus they offer
community studio art classes for all ages in topics ranging from
traditional media to makeup effects to woodworking. Art Academy of
Cincinnati, 1212 Jackson St., Over-the-Rhine, 513-562-6262,
artacademy.edu.

BEST OKTOBERFEST TREKKIE DANCE

It’s not every day a former original cast member of Star Trek
visits Cincinnati, and it’s even more rare they take up the chicken
dance during their stay. Yet that’s exactly what George Takei (aka Sulu)
did for last year’s Oktoberfest, when he led the world’s largest
chicken dance. We appreciate Takei shining some positive light on our
city, but hopefully he can visit without wearing a chicken hat next
time. Or not. It was cute. oktoberfestzinzinnati.com